Friday, October 26 2007

Thursday, October 25 2007

Ian is right – the subject of EU has many sides and shades of gray. In my previous post, I pointed two actions that I thought was good for EU.

There is also a lot of problems and things that needs vastly improve.

My answer to Ian’s comment becomes its own post here:

I am uncomfortable with the current political EU, I am certainly 100% against a United States of Europe. That would be a huge and irrevocable mistake to form. Europe is infinite more multifaceted then what the USA is.

I do not recognize the current European â€œparliamentâ€ due to the single fact that it does not have the basic power of a parliament. The composition of the EU â€œparliamentâ€ does not reflect the composition on the European Commission (executive power). I have never voted in the EU â€œparliamentâ€ elections as I do not recognize it as legit. Either it is the national parliament that represent the people or a Federation has been created that supersede (may this never happened!!) the national level.It is either or, it canâ€™t be both.

Just because it has the name of parliament does not mean it fulfill the basic requirements. Hey what directorship does not gives its assembly a legit name? The elections in the old Soviet had a turnout of 99% but would we call that a democracy? No.

BTW, USA is a democracy but is not a parliamentarian state.

Also, shame on PM Gordon Brown not calling an election this autumn. He does not sit with the mandate of the people and he is a coward. Tony Blair actually said that he only listens to the voters on 1 (one) day â€¦ after that it is all his decisions. Disgusting but then again he could not go any further down in my estimate.

Tuesday, October 23 2007

I am pleasantly surprised by some of the recent actions by the EU. I have never really like the last step of the EU, with forming a political union – I was more comfortable with an economic union with the 4 freedoms of people, goods, service and capital across the union. I believe that people that trade together will not go to war against each other.

Despite EU being a political union, I could see the benefit of the EU being a independent and a counterpart to the US agenda. Any system needs check and balances otherwise the risk for abuse is too great.

EU has stuck to their guns, so to speak, and made Microsoft pay a huge fine AND open up their code. This is something that US government has not been able to do, in fact they supported Microsoft’s efforts against the EU.

Another good thing is this the EU plan to create the equivalent of the US’s Green Card, which has the unimaginative name Blue Card.

Being on this side of the fence, I do indeed hope that the EU will create a better the system with not so high hurdles as the US system.

This plan will probably bring out the protectionists and the ‘can’t take jobs away from the EU worker’ bullocks. Increased competition will highlight any slacking and complacency which I am sure exist in Europe.

If you look at it from the company perspective, why can’t the company be allowed to decided who is the best person for the job? If they get the right person, then it is fairly safe to assume that the company will do better. This will probably lead to better innovation, efficiency, higher profits = higher tax revenue for the government.

This blue card employee will also contribute to the system by paying the income taxes, sales tax etc. There has to be a safeguard so that no abuse of the welfare system is taking place. EU has to be as hard as the USA at this point. Currently, we are paying into the Medicare and Social security but are not allowed to get anything back. Similar stipulations needs to apply within the EU too.

Fact is the EU is experience a brain-drainage to the US. I have not got a problem to this to other countries because I think it is up the individual themselves to decided what their future is.

If anyone with a skill that want to come and work in Europe, can find an employment, and adjust to the society they are living in – then I welcome them with open arms.

Immigrates with the goal of living off the generous European welfare system – I have 0 (zero) tolerance for and should be sent back to where they came from.

Friday, October 12 2007

Monday, October 8 2007

Ok, something ironic happened for a spam that got stuck in moderation for Spammers Die In A Fire part 2

The stated email is from .ru which just rings bells and the ‘comment’ starts off (the link is not included!!):

Want to start your private office arms race right now?

I just got my own USB rocket launcher Awsome thing.

Plug into your computer and you got a remote controlled office missile launcher with 360 degrees horizontal and 45 degree vertival rotation with a range of more than 6 meters – which gives you a coverage of 113 square meters round your workplace.

Thursday, October 4 2007

It was very convenient to fly to Maui, Hawaii … on the domestic flight, no customs or immigration coming back and ‘only’ 5h30min flight time = no jetlag.

It was my first time and I loved the weather. Nice temperature, strong sun and not too humid so the AC went off quickly. The beach of Kaanapali was superb.

The sea was equally superb. It has a strong changeable current.

Maui is a fairly small island but there is still few things to see & do. I don’t DO too touristy things – it bores me beyond belief so no Hula dances, no booze cruises etc. In the literature available, the ’10 top things to do in Maui’ are all commercial stuff.

This is what we did, except being on the beach, one trip to the volcano Haleakala, which is 10,053 feet above sea level.

Not every day one can look down on the clouds 🙂 The drive was fun and interesting to see how the vegetation changing so quickly. On the way down the visibility got so bad that it was only possible to see 5 meters / 15 feet ahead.

And speaking of fun driving, in north Maui the (only) road is so narrow – at points barely 1 lane wide – that the rental car companies states that no rental cars are allowed on that road. Unfortunately 😉 we read that after the trip.

There is another road trip to do, driving to Hana. Around 600 turns and is apparently test of patience. Since I am the one doing the driving, I knew that would bore me to death – click on this to see why. Plus there is nothing in Hana to see either.

I was surprised to see Gucci, Louis Vuitton and numerous art shops in the shopping malls near the Resorts. Guess there is a lot of rich people that goes to Maui and need some distraction too 🙂

People were friendly, well except for the lady in the Kaanapali Beach Hotel Gift shop who didn’t like to be given a $20 bill for a $2 purchase …